1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anti-theft alarm systems for protecting cargo stored or transported in vehicle cargo compartments, and more particularly to a portable and entirely self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control which prevents false alarms resulting from shifting cargo in the cargo compartment caused by vehicle movement and vibrations from irregular road surfaces during transit.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Anti-theft alarm systems designed to be permanently installed on vehicles with closed compartments in which cargo is stored and/or transported are well-known in the art. Such systems include electronic components situated within housings physically attached to structural members of a vehicle and hard wired to the electrical system of the vehicle for power. Such systems are commonly connected to magnetic sensors or sensors with spring-loaded depressible parts mounted in door jams associated with the access doors to the cargo compartment. The alarm system may also be hard wired to the ignition system of the vehicle to prevent the engine of the vehicle from being started upon detecting unauthorized entry to the cargo compartment or other door of the vehicle.
Currently, the only portable security devices available on the market to protect vehicle cargo are padlocks. However, padlocks can be circumvented relatively easily and do not provide the level of security required by commercial cargo storage and transport vehicles.
Permanently installed anti-theft alarm systems tend to be less vulnerable to attack but are not suitable for all purposes. Shippers that do not have a dedicated fleet of cargo transport vehicles need to be able to secure the cargo stored and transported in vehicles which are sometimes used to perform other tasks. Moreover, shippers may at times employ third party carriers which do not have installed anti-theft systems or have installed anti-theft systems which are not sufficiently robust to adequately protect the cargo being stored or transported.
The portable alarm system of the present invention includes sensors that monitor the light level and movement in the vicinity of the alarm housing. However, those sensors are quite sensitive and may provide a false alarm as a result of shifting cargo in the cargo compartment resulting from the movement of the vehicle and vibrations created by irregular road surface conditions, as the vehicle moves from one place to another. In order to avoid such false alarms, the present invention is provided with a mobile transmitter which functions as a proximity detector. The proximity detector output signal prevents activation of the sensors, and thus the generation of an audible alarm and GPS location signal, when the driver of the vehicle is in the vicinity of the vehicle. However, when the proximity signal indicates that the driver with the transmitter has left the vehicle unattended, and one or more of the sensors is triggered by an increase in the light level or movement of the alarm housing or in the vicinity of the alarm, the audible alarm and GPS signal will be generated.
It is therefore, a prime object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control which can be placed in and relocated to any vehicle with an enclosed cargo compartment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which has internal sensors and power supply and does not require any external power or data connections.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which can detect the opening of a cargo access door without the necessity of permanently installed sensors.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which monitors the light in the compartment in which it is located and triggers an alarm when the light in the compartment exceeds a given threshold level, indicating that the cargo access door has been opened.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which monitors movement in the vicinity of the alarm housing and triggers an alarm when motion is detected.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which monitors the position of the alarm housing and triggers an alarm when the housing is tilted beyond a given threshold level, indicating that the alarm housing is being moved.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which includes a GPS unit capable of transmitting a signal when the alarm is triggered indicating the state of the alarm as well as the location of the vehicle in which the alarm is located.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which can be controlled remotely.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which includes a proximity detector that prevents activation of the sensors and GPS when the proximity signal is received.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which prevents false alarms resulting from shifting cargo in the cargo compartment due to movement of the vehicle and vibrations from irregular road surfaces during transit.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which is automatically activated during the times when the vehicle is unattended.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self-contained anti-theft alarm system with automatic proximity control for the cargo compartment of a vehicle which includes a proximity detector that activates the sensors when the driver of the vehicle moves more than a given distance away from the vehicle.